…and a look at her path to stability.
In an effort to leave a domestic violence situation, Carol and her young son entered Good Sam’s Emergency Shelter in Lancaster County in December of 2019. Between then and now, Carol has made great gains in her stability and emotional health. Carol gained full-time employment just before the pandemic hit in March of 2020, but she was unable to start until June 2020. Thankfully, she was able to stay with us and maintain housing safety for herself and her son.
Budgeting
Our Family Resource Coordinators work diligently with our participants to provide budgeting support. During her stay at the shelter, Carol was able to pay off some debt and even saw an increase in her credit score. This is an incredible feat that is difficult to accomplish, but Carol stuck to her budget and achieved her goals!
Transportation
In the summer of 2020, Carol was a recipient of a vehicle from Good Sam’s car donation resource. Sometimes we received donations in the form of safe and reliable transportation, and it’s an incredible gift we can provide to our participants in need. With this generous van donation from another family in our community, Carol was able to provide herself and her some secure transportation to work, school, and childcare.
Employment
In the fall of 2020, Carol worked to increase her income by acquiring a part-time job in addition to her full-time position. She had very high goals and knew that she would need to work hard to achieve them. In the Winter of 2020, Carol was looking to again increase her income and took on another full-time job. (That’s three jobs!) We were most excited about her most recent job, and she began working as overnight staff for GSS’s Winter Shelter. Carol is an incredibly hard worker, dedicated to her goals, and we are thrilled to now be Carol’s employer!
Housing
Carol searched and searched for housing during her time in our Emergency Shelter until she was approved for a beautiful 2-bedroom apartment at Declaration House in Denver, PA, which she entered in February 2021. We are so proud of all of Carol’s accomplishments, and she’s a great asset to her community and to Good Sam!
Partnership
There are so many parts of this journey that required partnership from Good Sam, Real Life Ministries, Community Donations, and Volunteers. This is why one of Good Sam’s core values is Partnership! We engage the community to meet our mission of meeting individuals and families where they’re at, to help them on their path to stability. Carol’s success is one of many, and it’s only possible through the generosity and collaboration of our communities.
